June 17, 2005
The Sorry Bunch
Listen and learn from our enemies.
by Victor Davis Hanson
National Review Online

In a single day last week, in various media  the liberal International Herald Tribune and the Washington Post  the following information appeared.

A Syrian smuggler of jihadists to Iraq, one Abu Ibrahim, was interviewed. He made the following revealing statements:

(1) that the goal of the jihadists is the restoration of the ancient caliphate ("The Koran is a constitution, a law to govern the world")

(2) that September 11 was "a great day"

(3) that two weeks after the attack, a celebration was held in his rural Syrian community celebrating the mass murder, and thereafter continued twice-weekly

(4) that Syrian officials attended such festivities, funded by Saudi money with public slogans that read, "The People ...Will Now Defeat the Jews and Kill Them All"

(5) that despite denials, Syrian police aided the jihadists in their efforts to hound out Western influence: They were allowed to enforce their strict vision of sharia, or Islamic law, entering houses in the middle of the night to confront people accused of bad behavior. Abu Ibrahim said their authority rivaled that of the Amn Dawla, or state security. "Everyone knew us," he said. "We all had big beards. We became thugs."

(6) that the Syrian government does not hesitate to work with Islamists ("beards and epaulets were in one trench together")

(7) that collateral damage was not always so collateral: "Once the Americans bombed a bus crossing to Syria. We made a big fuss and said it was full of merchants," Abu Ibrahim said. "But actually, they were fighters."

(8) That once Syria felt U.S. pressure, there was some temporary cosmetic change of heart: "The security agents said the smuggling of fighters had to stop. The jihadists' passports were taken. Some were jailed for a few days. Abu Ibrahim's jailers shaved his beard."

(9) that supporters in Saudi Arabia always played a key role: "Our brothers in Iraq are asking for Saudis. The Saudis go with enough money to support themselves and their Iraqi brothers. A week ago, we sent a Saudi to the jihad. He went with 100,000 Saudi riyals. There was celebration amongst his brothers there!"

Note how in this one Washington Post story how almost every one of our Western myths promulgated by the antiwar Left is shattered by a candid jihadist himself. First, there was always radical Islamic anti-American hatred that preceded Iraq. Indeed, celebrations were spontaneous immediately after September 11 on the mere news of slaughtered Americans.

We have been told that jihadists and secular Baathists have little in common, and that only our war brought them together. But like the Japanese and Nazis in World War II, autocrat and jihadist have shared interests in hating liberal democracies  and well before our response they were jointly fanning efforts against the United States.

Note too the passive-aggressive nature of Syria that gives into rather than resists American pressures. When the U.S. threatens, it backsteps; when we relent, it goes back on the offensive.

Americans worry that captured terrorists have proper Korans and are allowed traditional grooming. Arab jailors immediately shave the traditional beards of those they arrest.

Saudi Arabia claims to be our ally, but its Wahhabi roots are so deep and its oil revenues so vast that much of its multilayered ruling class could not cease its support for jihad even if it wished. We forget that their 'war against terror' is a war against Muslim terrorists who attack Muslims  not necessarily against Muslim terrorists ("militants") who attack Westerners.

Some claim that anti-Semitism is an exaggerated charge, yet the jihadists blame the Jews, not just Israel, instinctively.

Westerners also worry about collateral damage; the terrorist Ibrahim confesses that military operatives routinely count on falsely claiming civilian casualties.

For more of this sorry bunch, the same day I turned to the International Herald Tribune. Its headline ran: "For Saudis' promised liberalizations, a snail's pace." The story followed about the routine persecution of any who questioned government autocracy and Wahhabist Islam. We learned once more that there is no freedom of any kind in Saudi Arabia and that dissidents are routinely jailed for their mere protests (sentences ranging from six to nine years).

More interestingly, Arab reformers, few though they are, most certainly don't blame the West for the misery of the Middle East. Instead, they confess that the Arab world itself is parasitic: "Western governments, reformers say, should question why curriculums are so weak and why Arab societies contribute nothing to the world's scientific or technological advancements."

In the words of one persecuted novelist Turki Al-Hamad, "The problem is not from the outside, the problem is from ourselves; if we don't change ourselves, nothing will change."

In the United States, we are told that we have created terrorists. Saudi liberals would beg to differ. So the theologian Al-Maleky confesses, "If Wahhabism doesn't revise itself, it will produce more terrorism."

This is all so strange.

Free-thinking Arabs refute all the premises of Western Leftists who claim that colonialism, racism, and exploitation have created terrorists, hold back Arab development, and are the backdrops to this war.

Indeed, it is far worse than that: Our own fundamentalist Left is in lockstep with Wahhabist reductionism  in its similar instinctive distrust of Western culture. Both blame the United States and excuse culpability on the part of Islamists. The more left-wing the Westerner, the more tolerant he is of right-wing Islamic extremism; the more liberal the Arab, the more likely he is to agree with conservative Westerners about the real source of Middle Eastern pathology.

The constant? A global distrust of Western-style liberalism and preference for deductive absolutism. So burn down a mosque in Zimbabwe, murder innocent Palestinians in Bethlehem in 2002, arrest Christians in Saudi Arabia, or slaughter Africans in Dafur, and both the Western Left and the Middle East's hard Right won't say a word. No such violence resonates with America's diverse critics as much as a false story of a flushed Koran  precisely because the gripe is not about the lives of real people, but the psychological hurts, angst, and warped ideology of those who in their various ways don't like the United States.

I will pass over quickly the day's other sorry stories, but they were equally revealing. From Karachi, we learn that Pakistani Shiite Muslims burned down a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. You see, a Sunni suicide bomber had just blown up 19 Pakistani Shia. In reaction to that attack, the Shiite mob went out and killed six employees of a business owned and operated by a Pakistani Muslim. Follow the logic of the Middle East: When you are angry at your own for their murdering, and are too weak or terrified to do anything about it, go out and destroy anything remotely American-affiliated.

I read the most of these news accounts last week while sitting in a Starbucks (Dunkin' Donuts next door) on the eastern side of the Brandenburg Gate in the former Communist sector of Berlin  watching a parade of protestors damn the militarism of the United States (a.k.a. "Top Gun") while a nearby TV blared accounts of a recent German mystery on state-run television, whose subtext was that the United States intelligence planned September 11 and blamed it on the poor jihadists.

So there we have a snapshot of 60 years of American efforts to rid Germany of Hitler, pour in Marshall Plan money, keep 300 Soviet divisions out of Germany, and convince skeptical British, French, and Russians to support reunification: In response, welcome in American popular culture as you damn the United States in the conveniently abstract.A war that cannot be won entirely on the battlefield most certainly can be lost entirely off it  especially when an ailing Western liberal society is harder on its own democratic culture than it is on fascist Islamic fundamentalism.

So unhinged have we become that if an American policymaker calls for democracy and reform in the Middle East, then he is likely to echo the aspirations of jailed and persecuted Arab reformers. But if he says Islamic fascism is either none of our business or that we lack the wisdom or morality to pass judgment on the pathologies of a traditional tribal society, then the jihadist and the police state  and our own Western Left  approve.

The problem the administration faces is not entirely a military one: Our armed forces continue to perform heroically and selflessly under nearly impossible conditions of global scrutiny and hypercriticism. There has not been an attack on the U.S. since 9/11  despite carnage in Madrid and over 1,000 slaughtered in Russia by various Islamic terrorists during the same period.

Rather, the American public is tiring of the Middle East, its hypocrisy and whiny logic  and to such a degree that it sometimes unfortunately doesn't make distinctions for the Iraqi democratic government or other Arab reformers, but rather is slowly coming to believe the entire region is ungracious, hopeless, and not worth another American soldier or dollar.

This is a dangerous trend. Despite murderous Syrian terrorists, dictatorial Saudis, crazy Pakistanis, and triangulating European allies, and after so many tragic setbacks, we are close to creating lasting democratic states in Afghanistan and Iraq  states that are influencing the entire region and ending the old calculus of Middle Eastern terror. We are winning even as we are told we are losing. But the key is that the American people need to be told  honestly and daily  how and why those successes came about and must continue before it sours on the entire sorry bunch.

too bad we pay the bills in the country and we didn't vote for the chimp.
yes, that's right, most of the federal tax revenue is generated by the blue states. and to further agree with your point of there being 2 sides of america now, i would vote to SECEDE from this union at the drop of a hat. we'll take all the west coast states and anyone else who wants to join.

the money and lives have been pissed away, and for what?!

answer me that with some valid point, and i may never have to post here again.

now that the memo is finally being carried by our domestic press (a mere MONTH AND A HALF) after it broke in the UK, i pray that justice will be server here at home. it is the last hope to regain power for the common man in this country

and get this country back to what it once was. by the people, for the people. :usa:

sad thing is, the dem party is just and filthy and corrupt as this administration. watching hillary suck up to isreal is ugly enough to curdle water.

too bad we pay the bills in the country and we didn't vote for the chimp.
yes, that's right, most of the federal tax revenue is generated by the blue states. and to further agree with your point of there being 2 sides of america now, i would vote to SECEDE from this union at the drop of a hat. we'll take all the west coast states and anyone else who wants to join.

the money and lives have been pissed away, and for what?!

answer me that with some valid point, and i may never have to post here again.

now that the memo is finally being carried by our domestic press (a mere MONTH AND A HALF) after it broke in the UK, i pray that justice will be server here at home. it is the last hope to regain power for the common man in this country

and get this country back to what it once was. by the people, for the people. :usa:

sad thing is, the dem party is just and filthy and corrupt as this administration. watching hillary suck up to isreal is ugly enough to curdle water.

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Ok, you are saying one last post from you, cool. Now what exactly are you asking for in this rant? We'd like to help you out here.

too bad we pay the bills in the country and we didn't vote for the chimp.
yes, that's right, most of the federal tax revenue is generated by the blue states. and to further agree with your point of there being 2 sides of america now, i would vote to SECEDE from this union at the drop of a hat. we'll take all the west coast states and anyone else who wants to join.

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You really don't think liberals pay all the bills of this country do you? thats like such a joke. Unless of course you are just self hating and want to make yourself pay more taxes all the time since you are obviously "the rich."

now that the memo is finally being carried by our domestic press (a mere MONTH AND A HALF) after it broke in the UK, i pray that justice will be server here at home. it is the last hope to regain power for the common man in this country

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Dude, make up your mind. you are either the rich paying all the bills or you are the common man. You arent both.

The common man does have power. You see in the United states the majority wins elections. the majority is the common man. and the Majority is Republican.

and get this country back to what it once was. by the people, for the people. :usa:

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If you want a country for the people and by the people, why on earth do you want something contrary to what the people voted for? Do you not understand you don't represent a majority? The people have decided. they left you behind/

sad thing is, the dem party is just and filthy and corrupt as this administration. watching hillary suck up to isreal is ugly enough to curdle water.

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So basically you are just an anti semite? big surprise. Yeah actually being nice to a jew is just filthy and corrupt. they are nothing but a bunch of nazis. people like you disgust me.

sorry to say, best YES the blue states account for most of the federal tax revenue. need a hanky?

and yes i am both.

majority? ROTFFLMFAO enough of that nonsense.

don't look at the polls now, but i am sure you are busy trying to patch the titanic.

and yes, the jews run this country. it's a simple matter of being honest about it.

i wouldn't mind so much if we weren't headed towards bankruptcy and no end to the war in sight.

you dare compare me to a nazi when you (i assume) still support the gitmo prison?

i feel sorry for you man. you loyalty is impressive, however, i think it's clouding your objective vision.

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What about Gitmo compares to the Nazis? ZERO people have died at Gitmo. Did Hitler have the SS make sure to choose only Kosher food for the menus? Did the SS make sure to wear gloves when touching the torah? Did the Jewish prisoners get fresh clothes and exercise time? The "worst" thing that's happened at Gitmo is some guy was forced to wet himself. Are you equating that with being thrown in a gas chamber, or forced to dig your own grave before being shot and thrown into it? Grow up, boy.

What about Gitmo compares to the Nazis? ZERO people have died at Gitmo. Did Hitler have the SS make sure to choose only Kosher food for the menus? Did the SS make sure to wear gloves when touching the torah? Did the Jewish prisoners get fresh clothes and exercise time? The "worst" thing that's happened at Gitmo is some guy was forced to wet himself. Are you equating that with being thrown in a gas chamber, or forced to dig your own grave before being shot and thrown into it? Grow up, boy.

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as a matter of fact, i equate it to the incarceration of the japanese in WWII. a horrible, embarassing egg on the face matter in the history of the united states.

as for a statement about you, if you think:
'The "worst" thing that's happened at Gitmo is some guy was forced to wet himself.', you are smoking glass.

sorry to say, best YES the blue states account for most of the federal tax revenue. need a hanky?

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Are you really this stupid? more money comes from the red counties that the blue counties (this should be obvious to you since there are about 400 times more red counties than blue ones)

Regardless of that, it doesn't really matter because its the blue counties that spend more most of the money anyway.

and yes i am both.

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Dude, the rich have never been the common man. you cant be both. are you just freakin stupid?

majority? ROTFFLMFAO enough of that nonsense.

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Cant handle reality? Who has most of the House? the Senate? The Presidency? The majority of governorships? That would be Republicans. So which is the majority, the ones who receive the most votes. or the ones who dont?

don't look at the polls now, but i am sure you are busy trying to patch the titanic.

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Who cares about the polls? There is nothing to patch up. You lost. we won. economy is good. war on terror is going good. Howard Dean is sabatoging any chance of future democrat victories. life is good for us conservatives.

and yes, the jews run this country. it's a simple matter of being honest about it.

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You know, you would think after 2000 years people would stop the blame it on the Jews card. but i guess nothing really changes.

i wouldn't mind so much if we weren't headed towards bankruptcy and no end to the war in sight.

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We aren't heading for bankruptcy anytime soon. I cant imagine what it must be like in this fantasy world you are living in. And there is never an end in sight in the fight against evil. Thats part of life. But if you dont fight you wont be around long.

you dare compare me to a nazi when you (i assume) still support the gitmo prison?

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Dude, you have far more in common with the nazis than anyone at gitmo. You're both socialist. you both hate jews and blame them for the problems in the world. You arer probably both green environmentalist wackos. You both have a problem when the people vote against ya. and you are both in the minority.

i feel sorry for you man. you loyalty is impressive, however, i think it's clouding your objective vision.

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loyalty to what? to reality? Im just stating the facts. You are the guy who hates jews yet cant see how you are like the nazis while you try to associate american soldiers with those sick freaks. You need to come back to a little place i call earth.

sorry to say, best YES the blue states account for most of the federal tax revenue. need a hanky?

and yes i am both.

majority? ROTFFLMFAO enough of that nonsense.

don't look at the polls now, but i am sure you are busy trying to patch the titanic.

and yes, the jews run this country. it's a simple matter of being honest about it.

i wouldn't mind so much if we weren't headed towards bankruptcy and no end to the war in sight.

you dare compare me to a nazi when you (i assume) still support the gitmo prison?

i feel sorry for you man. you loyalty is impressive, however, i think it's clouding your objective vision.

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Spilly, your tone and content of your posts isn't particularly attractive to the majority of this board, who continue to keep your reputation in the red. I suggest you read the posts of 'IControlThePast', to get a better idea of someone with a left perspective who tends to debate based on the facts rather than blather about opinions.

avatar, i could give a crap about which counties what, :blah2:
blue states are blue states, and we put more money into federal tax system than all the other red state freeloaders. my state has been a donor state for 22 years running.

as far as the israeli interest is concerned. i've got nothing against any people. people are people and i don't really care where you come from. that is not how i base my opinion of each and every individual. you want to sit there and deny there is a heavy jewish influence in our government, go right ahead. you like that israel receives more aid than more than half the states, that's your opinion. if it were the latino front or whatever heavily lobbied in our government and mismanaging it, you can be damn sure i'd be slamming them.

and yes, rupert murdoch may have brainwashed you if you

... believe $300 billion of U.S. tax money, allocated for the war and reconstruction in Iraq is actually going to Iraq .

... are unaware Iraq had 650 million barrels of oil in reserve just before the war in Iraq .

... are unaware at least $8.8 billion is known to be missing in Iraqi oil revenue from the period the U.S. was in control of Iraq .

... are unaware 198 million in Iraqi dollars is missing from the Iraq treasury from the period the U.S. was in control of Iraq .

... are unaware that war is exceptionally profitable for a small number of investors.

... believe Halliburton's no-bid contracts have nothing to do with former CEO, now Vice President Dick Cheney.

... are unaware that the Iraq war is the biggest case of war profiteering in human history.

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